Love Me, Hold Me, Save Me
by TheHornyVirgin
Summary: When Merry and Pippin are sent for routine guard duty to watch for rogue Orcs, circumstances change from a romantic few days alone to a fight for survival.
1. Guard Duty

Hello, all me peoples! I really hope you like this! I am open to any possible ideas or suggestions. :) Please, **NO FLAMES!!!!!!!!**

**Chapter 1: Guard Duty**

The conference hall in the palace of Minas Tirith was near to full of people. The seats that lines the long, oak table were full and several people stood around. The city counsel were the one seated; the others were leaders of small towns and villages surrounding the City. The cause for this urgent meeting was the fact that in the past month or so, there had been quite a few rogue Orcs seen lurking in the forests and some had come dangerously close to some of the small villages. There had even been some seen as close to Minas Tirith as just across the Anduin; less than a mile away. The matter at hand had been brought to the attention of Aragorn, King of Gondor, by a group of concerned townspeople.

"We must do something about this!" a town leder said, "We did not fight so hard in the War, to have these vile creatures return!"

"My King, I beseech you, think of our women and children!" another said.

Aragorn sighed and rubbed his forehead as another argument broke out among the people; this had been going on nearly all morning. He had had enough. Aragorn slammed his fist down on the table and stood up, immediately getting everyone's attention.

"Enough arguing! Arguing is not solving anything!" he said so everyone could hear, "I know we have an urgent matter before us; I am concerned, too. But, instead of standing here, arguing at each other, we should be worrying about the problem at hand. Now, I have some of the finest soldiers in Middle-Earth right here and we are not going to let these vile beings return. Now, gentlemen, instead of standing here arguing with one another, go to your homes; be with your wives and children. I have heard your plea for help, and I promise you, we will do something to resolve this. The Orcs will not return."

The room fell silent for a fe seconds before the townspeople were escorted out by the guards. Once only the city counsel and the captains were in the room, Aragorn sat down.

"What do you propose we do, milord?" Beregond, who sat at Aragorn's left side, asked.

"In the long-term, I do not yet know. But for the moment, I plan to send my most trusted guards to our guard towers to keep watch and resolve any Orcs they may see." Aragorn explained, "Faramir, send a message for all of the captains and strongest soldiers to gather in the courtyard."

"Yes, milord." Faramir, who sat at Aragorn's right, said, standing up and leaving the room.

"Counsel is adjourned." Aragorn said.

Everyone stood and bowed in respect before heading to the room's exit. But two remained where they stood: Merry, Captain of Rohan, and Pippin, Captain of Gondor.

"Yes, did you want something?" Aragorn asked, noticing they still stood there.

"Yes. Pippin and I were wondering if it would be possible for just the two of us to be sent to one of the guard towers." Merry asked.

"If you so wish. You two are very fine captains; you have all but earned the request for your chosen assignment." Aragorn said.

"Thank you. Where will we be sent?" Merry said.

"Wherever you like." Aragorn said.

"Would you give us a little while to think about it?" Merry asked.

"Of course; the other soldiers won't leave until tomorrow." Aragorn said, straightening the papers scattered in front of him.

"Thank you." Merry said, he and Pippin turning and exiting the room.

They made their way down a series of confusing stone hallways to their room. It was a nice-sized room that overlooked the citadel and had a nice view of Pelennor Fields. Like all the others in the palace, the room had stone walls, floor, and ceiling. A double-sized bed was situated on the wall to their left. Two nightstands set on either side of it and a soft, fur rug was underneath it. Aside from a small dresser and a trunk, that was the only furniture in the room.

"So, where does my beautiful husband want to go?" Merry asked, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Pippin smiled and walked over, crawling up onto the bed to straddle Merry's waist. He wrapped his arms loosely around Merry's neck and placed a light kiss to his lips. Merry placed his hands on either side of Pippin's hips, smiling up at him.

"Where would you like to go?" Merry asked again.

"Hmmm, I don't know. Somewhere where we won't be disturbed." Pippin said, "We haven't had any alone time in a while. So keen of you to ask Aragorn for us to be sent out alone."

"Why don't we look at my map of the guard houses and pick out a place?" Merry suggested.

" 'kay." Pippin said, moving over off Merry.

Merry knelt beside his bag, which lay on the floor beside the bed and retrieved a large, folded piece of parchment. He sat back beside Pippin and unfolded the parchment. On the parchment was a map of Rohan and Gondor, which showed the locations of every gaurd tower in the region.

"How about here?" Pippin asked, pointing to a guard tower after looking over the map briefly.

"Na, it's too close to this other one." Merry said, pointing out another guard tower less than two miles away.

They continued to look over the map for several more minutes.

"Here looks good." Merry said, pointing to a guard tower that was about a day's journey away north of Minas Tirith across the Anduin River; the guard tower was also not close to any others in the surrounding area.

"Looks nice." Pippin said.

"Well," Merry said, folding the parchment, "I guess we'll leave tomorrow. I'll go tell Aragorn our decision."

Merry set the map aside and exited the room. Pippin smiled as he thought about he and Merry finally being able to have a few days alone, something they really needed. Their sex life had diminished over the last couple of months, being around all the other guards almost constantly and having very little privacy. This would be a very nice break for them.

**A/N: **I know, short first chapter, but I promise the next one will be longer......and steamier. ;) LOL! **PLEASE R&R!!!!!! NO FLAMES!!!!!**


	2. Love Me

Hi, I'm back! Hope you liked the previous chapter. :)

**Chapter 2: Love Me**

Merry and Pippin arrived at the guard house late the next evening. The sun had just set and there was still a pale orange glow on the horizon to the west. They arrived and tied their ponies to the hitching post outside. They looked up at the guard house before going inside, neither of them had ever been here before. The guard house was two stories tall and had a tudor-style exterior: white walls supported by exposed wooden beams. The tower had a thatched roof. The guard house was actually two tower-like structures connected by an enclosed walkway. The entire structure was situated on a stone foundation that was about six or seven inches thick. A wide balcony encircled the second floor of the guard house and a tall staircase lead up to it from the ground below.

Merry and Pippin removed the saddles from their ponies and placed them just inside one of the small storage rooms on the first floor. Removing their saddle bags, they scaled the tall staircase and walked around the corner, entering through the wooden door. They found themselves in a nice-sized room, which was used as a makeshift kitchen and dining area. To their right was a table for preparing meals and a water barrel set beside it. To their left was a long table surrounded on either side by two long benches and two chairs on ether end. They closed the room, crossing the enclosed walkway to the nice-sized bunk room. On either of the walls to their sides were two bunks. Directly in front of them was a single bed. Above the bed was a small window.

"I guess this will be our bed." Merry said, stepping forward and dropping his saddle bag on the bed.

"It's just right for the two of us." Pippin said, referring to the entire guard house.  
___________________________________________

The night air was cool and crisp and a light breeze blew across the wide plains. From Pippin's perch on the balcony, he could see for miles and the Anduin river could be seen a few hundred yards away. He had been sitting here for the past few hours, watching for any activity; he had seen nothing and, frankly, it was quite boring. He stood from his chair and walked over to the edge of the balcony, just wanting to move around a bit. He didn't know how long he had stood there when he felt a pair of arms wrap loosely around his waist. He jumped slightly in surprise, but relaxed when he saw that it was just Merry.

"Boreing, isn't it?" Merry asked, resting his chin on Pippin's shoulder.

"Quite." Pippin said.

"Why don't you come lay down with me?" Merry whispered in a low voice.

Pippin knew what Merry was getting at; every time he used that low whisper, he was 'in the mood'.

"I'm supposed to be watching for any activity out here." Pippin replied, trying to keep his mind on his guard duty.

"What activity?" Merry said, again in the low whisper, "Nothing's out there. Come on, come lay down with me."

Merry placed a light kiss to the side of Pippin's neck. A shiver ran up Pippin's spine and he gripped the railing in front of him. Merry continued with his light kisses, gently sucking on Pippin's warm flesh.

"Merry." Pippin gasped softly.

Merry moved upward, nipping at the sensitive tip of Pippin's pointed ear. Pippin gasped again, a little more harshly this time.

"Don't you want to feel me inside you?" Merry whispered.

Pippin chewed his bottom lip, feeling Merry's hot breath on his skin. Remembering the reason they chose to come to this guard house alone, Pippin gave in. He turned around, wrapping his arms around Merry's neck and pressed his lips against Merry's. Merry immediately responded and thrust his tongue into Pippin's mouth. Pippin moaned and clashed their tongues together, feeling his heart flutter. They drew away only when their lungs were screaming for air.

"You wouldn't deny your husband the thing he desires most, would you?" Merry asked in a breathy voice.

"Of course not." Pippin moaned, "Come on."

Merry followed Pippin as he walked across the larger main room to the bunk room. Once they reached their bed, Pippin turned around, a devilish look in his eyes. This excited Merry and he just waited to see what Pippin would do next. Pippin wrapped his arms loosely around Merry's waist and pulled him close.

"I love you." Pippin whispered, pressing his lips to Merry's.

This kiss was slower and more passionate than their previous one had been. Merry's eyes fluttered shut and he gently responded, loving the feeling of Pippin's soft, sweet lips against his. Pippin slowly lifted the hem of Merry's brown tunic, his fingers lightly grazing along the warm flesh. Merry moaned softly and kissed Pippin a little harder, encouraging him to proceed. Pippin lifted the tunic higher and higher until he lifted it over Merry's head and let it drop to the floor.

"Take yours off, too." Merry said, noticing Pippin eyeing him.

Pippin quickly shed his black tunic, dropping it to lay with Merry's on the floor.

"Oh, Pip, you're so beautiful." Merry said, pulling him close and kissing him deeply.

Pippin wrapped his arms around Merry's neck and allowed him to maneuver them around so they lay on the bed, surprised by how comfortable it was. Pippin moaned when the weight of Merry's body landed on a certain part of his body. Merry moved his kisses downward, gently sucking on Pippin's neck. Pip moaned and tilted his head back, giving Merry better access. Merry felt Pippin's pulse quicken beneath his lips, which be found to be rather arousing. Moving lower, he nibbled on Pippin's collar bone, drawing a gasp from him.

"G-go lower." Pippin moaned.

Merry gladly moved lower, scattering kisses over Pippin's smooth chest and abdomen. A shiver ran up Pippin's spine as Merry slowly licked up his breastbone. The shiver traveled down his spine right to his groin and he moaned, feeling himself beginning to harden. He let out a much harsher gasp when Merry pressed his pelvis hard into him, rubbing his own hardening flesh against Pippin's. Where they touched, their flesh grew hot, damp, and they longed to feel one one another. Merry leaned up briefly and wriggled out of his loose pants. Pippin moaned as his eyes wandered over Merry's gorgeous body. His gaze feel upon Merry's well-endowed member, half hard and just begging to be touched.

"Take mine off, too." Pippin said, not taking his eyes off Merry.

Merry leaned forward slightly and slowly pulled down Pip's black pants, Pippin lifting his hips slightly to allow the offending garment to be dropped to the floor along with the rest of their clothes. Once the clothes were out of the way, Merry leaned forward and pressed their naked bodies together, moaning loudly at the sweet contact. Merry reached down and gripped Pippin's member in his hand, drawing a groan from him. Pippin arched his back as Merry gently stroked him, massaging him to full hardness. Just seeing Pippin, his beautiful Pippin, moaning and writhing beneath him was enough to make Merry instantly hard.

Merry suddenly found himself on his back with Pippin on top of him; Pip had flipped them over. Pippin giggled at the look of surprise on Merry's face.

"Well, I didn't see that coming." Merry said.

"Oh, I'm full of surprises. It just takes you to bring them out of me." Pippin said, smiling.

Pippin moved up slightly and straddled Merry's waist, supporting himself with his hands on either side of Merry's shoulders. Merry's eyes roamed over Pippin's beautiful form hovering above him, a sweet smile on his face and his chocolate-brown curls spilling over his shoulders. Merry reached up and gently stroked Pip's curls out of his face, tucking them cutely behind his pointed ear.

"I just can't get over how beautiful you are, Pip." Merry said.

Pippin's smile widened. He leaned down to within a hair's breadth of Merry's ear.

"Look in my saddle bag." he whispered.

Merry sensed a note of seductiveness in Pippin's voice and he became curious. He reached down beside the bed and rambled through the side pocket of Pippin's leather saddle bag. He hand came into contact with something smooth and cold. He retrieved it and saw that it was a small bottle of oil.

"Oh, you are naughty, aren't you?" Merry said, looking back up to Pippin, who had a seductive look on his face.

"What do you say we put it to good use?" Pippin suggested.

"My thoughts exactly." Merry said, uncorking the bottle.

Getting a little on his fingers, he set it aside. He reached underneath Pippin and probed gently at his opening, causing Pippin to moan and squirm slightly. He gasped when he felt Merry slip a finger inside him, slowly moving it in and out to get him used to the intrusion. Pippin let out another, harsher gasp when Merry pushed another finger inside. He thrust his hips downward, bringing the fingers deeper into him. He nearly collapsed on top of Merry when he felt the finger curl forward, hitting his sweet spot.

"Merry!" he groaned.

Merry placed his other hand on Pippin's thigh to help hold him still while he gently prepared him. A whimper escaped Pippin's lips as Merry pushed a third finger inside him, stretching him for what was to soon come. When Merry thought Pippin was ready, he withdrew his fingers, causing a small whimper of loss from Pippin. Merry reached down to the floor where he had set the bottle of oil and handed it to Pippin.

"Use it." he whispered.

Pippin poured a little oil into his hand, setting the bottle aside. He gripped Merry's member and slowly spread the oil over it, the smell of orange essence filling the air. Merry moaned as Pippin prepared him for entering. He gasped when he felt Pippin's thumb swipe over the head of his member, his grip on Pippin's thigh tightening.

"P-Pip, I need.....to be inside you.....please." Merry gasped.

Pippin felt Merry's member throb in his hand and he knew he was ready. He lifted his hips up, positioning the tip of Merry's erection at his opening, guiding it to where he could impale himself easily on it. He let himself slowly sink down, feeling the head push past the tight rings of muscle. He relaxed as much as possible and moaned as Merry's member slowly pushed deeper inside him. He just loved the feeling of being filled with Merry's well-endowed member. Merry was just the right size for him: almost seven inches and he was thick; they fit together perfectly. Pippin moaned loudly as he settled against Merry's hips, his member pushed as deeply as possible. Merry gripped his firm thighs and held him in place while they adjusted to the intensity of their joining. Pippin's muscles relaxed around Merry, encompassing him like a warm, soothing liquid.

"Oh, Pip, you're so tight." Merry moaned, shifting slightly beneath him.

"Not a problem, I hope." Pippin said.

"Oh, of course not." Merry said, "It feels so good."

"And you're bigger than I remember." Pippin said.

"Not a problem I hope." Merry said, mimicking Pippin.

"Oh, goodness no." Pippin moaned.

"You ready?" Merry said.

Pippin nodded. He raised his hips, feeling the width of Merry as he moved. He raised up so that only the head of Merry's member was inside him. Then, he thrust back down. Hard. Both of them moaned loudly and almost lost their composure as a jolt of pleasure shocked their bodies. Once Pippin regained his composure, he continued to thrust his hips, rocking back and forth. He threw his head back in ecstasy as Merry moved in and out of him in the most perfect way. They had made love countless times and they knew just how to satisfy one another and they knew each other's weak spots.

Merry gripped Pippin's hips and thrust upward, filling him, Pippin groaning and starting to move faster. It was almost magical as they moaned and writhed against one another, lost in their passion. Merry gripped Pippin's hips and pulled him down harder onto him, pushing in as deep as possible. Pippin whimpered as he felt Merry's throbbing member push deeper inside him.

"Oh, Pip....h-harder....oh, faster." Merry gasped, arching his back.

Pippin gladly responded and he rode Merry hard. They had made love this way before, but Merry was used to being the dominant one and this was absolute delicious torture to him for Pippin to be in control. The smell of the orange essence from the oil was intoxicating and he concentrated on listening to Pippin's moans and sighs of ecstasy as he rode him. He love to hear those sounds of passion coming from Pippin, the sounds that he was causing. The feeling of Pippin's tight warmth surrounding him, moving and tightening drove him insane. It was almost more than he could stand.

"Oh, Pippin, you're so wonderful.....to tight.....so beautiful." Merry managed to gasped out.

Hearing this, Pippin decided to deliciously torture Merry once more. He forced himself to slow his motions and he slid up to the tip of Merry's pounding member, slaying there for a few seconds. He watched as Merry squirmed beneath him, the cool air hitting his now exposed hot skin.

"Pip.....please....." Merry whimpered.

"Please what?" Pippin asked, sliding down just a bit.

Merry couldn't stand it any longer. He grabbed Pippin by the hips and flipped him over onto his back, shoving his throbbing member as deep as possible inside him. Pippin was slightly shocked by the sudden change in position and Merry's rough thrust. The thrust was so hard that he felt a momentary flash of pain. He whimpered. Hearing this, Merry forced himself to stay still for a moment.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked in concern.

"N-not really." Pippin said, "It's all right."

Nodding, Merry took Pippin's hands in his and laced their fingers together and bringing them up to either side of Pippin's head. He began thrusting deeply and vigorously. Pippin arched his back suddenly when Merry hit his sweet spot perfectly.

"Oh, do that again." Pippin moaned.

Mery did so, repeating the rolling motion with his hips, hitting Pippin's sweet spot again, causing him to whimper weakly. He continued this motion, only this time he sped up his movements, pounding into Pippin with feverent passion.

"Oh, Merry....oh, kiss me....please." Pippin moaned.

Merry gladly responded and leaned down to give Pippin a hot, sultry kiss. They both moaned at the sweet contact and deepened the kiss, tongues clashing with an electrifying sensation. Pippin felt the sensation begin to pool in his lower abdomen and he knew he was close to coming.

"M-Mer, I think.....I think I'm going to.....come." Pippin gasped.

"Hold it as long as you can." Merry moaned, "I want this to last.....as long as possible."

Pippin nodded and forced himself to stay his release. He groaned as Merry continued to thrust hard and deep. He wrapped his legs around Merry's waist, bringing him closer, their sweat-slick bodies sliding together. Pippin seemed to become a thousand times more sensitive between his legs and he felt every single tiny movement Merry made.

"T-touch me, Merry.....please.....touch me." Pippin gasped.

Merry reached down between them and grasped Pippin's painfully-hard erection in his hand. Pippin groaned and thrust his hips upward into Merry's gentle grip. Merry stroked Pippin in time with is vigorous thrusts, on the verge of coming himself. It all became too much for them and they both found themselves seized by the blinding heat of their passion. Pippin's back arched violently and he clenched his muscles so tight around Merry so hard that he thought he would faint from the pleasure. Merry buried his face in Pippin's shoulder to muffle his screams as he came explosively, his member pressed deep inside Pippin. Pippin cried out and held tightly to Merry as he, too, came, spilling his white-hot seed between them and into Merry's hand. As the pleasure slowly ebbed away, they found themselves breathless and their muscles felt like jelly. Merry collapse on top of Pippin, gasping wildly. Pippin couldn't move; his body went limp and he gasped weakly to get a breath. His legs fell from being clamped tightly around Merry to laying limply to the sides, as did him arms. Once Merry gained an once of strength, he leaned up on his elbows, looking down at Pippin.

"P-Pip....." he gasped.

Pippin forced his eyes open to look at Merry. Merry leaned down and kissed Pippin lightly on the lips. Pip was too weak to respond, but Merry understood and didn't press the kiss further than just moving his lips slightly against Pippin's.

"I love you so much, Pippin." Merry said.

Pippin weakly nodded. Merry pulled his softening member out of Pippin and rolled over off Pippin to allow him to breathe easier. Once Pip could breathe again, he reached over and retrieved a rag from his saddle bag and cleaned the milky-white fluid off his abdomen. Dropping the rag to the floor, he turned over to face Merry, wrapping his arms around him. Merry wrapped his arms around Pippin and rested his chin atop Pippin's mass of curls. Pippin lay his head on Merry's chest, content to listen to his steady heartbeat. They stayed like this throughout the night, falling blissfully asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

**A/N: **I really hope you like this. I work VERY hard on this chapter and I am VERY proud of how it turned out. If you don't like it, I will be forced to send my evil minion bunnies after you! LOL! **PLEASE R&R!**


	3. Save Me

Here's the next chappy! Drumroll please! *drums fingers rapidly on the desk*

**Chapter 3: Save Me**

The next morning, Pippin woke to the smell of bacon cooking; one of his favorite smells. He slowly peeped his eyes open, but immediately shut them from the bright morning light that streamed in from the open door of the living space. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up, stretching his sleep-weary muscles. Relaxing, he looked to his right and was surprised not to see Merry laying there with him. He looked back around and saw that the clothes that had been strewn on the floor were now neatly folded on the lower bunk at the head of their bed. Their saddle bags lay next to them. He threw the blanket off him and stretched his legs before standing up. He rifled through his bag and found a loose pair of pants and a tunic and slipped into them. He walked across the walkway to the living area and went straight to the open water barrel. He splashed some of the cool, refreshing water across his face before stepping out on the balcony. It was a beautiful morning, save for the dark clouds way off in the distance, almost to the horizon; it would more than like rain that evening. The blue waters of the Anduin stood out starkly against the golden-brown plains that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Good morning, Pip!" he heard a voice call from below.

He looked down and saw Merry sitting on a short log near the guard house next to a small fire, fixing breakfast. He smiled when he saw him, memories of the previous niht flooding back to him.

"Come down here." Merry said.

Pippin turned and descended the stairs, rounding the corner to see Merry. The wonderful smell of breakfast cooking met him and he inhaled deeply the delicious aroma. He walked over to Merry and bent down to give him a good morning kiss.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Merry asked as Pippin walked over and sat on one of the two other short logs opposite him.

"Quite." Pippin replied, sitting down, "You?"

"Very well, thanks." Merry said, turning over a frying piece of bacon in the pan, which set over the fire.

"What's for breakfast?" Pippin asked.

"Bacon and cheese and buttered bread." Merry replied, turning over another piece of bacon.

"Sounds great." Pippin said.

A few minutes later, they were enjoying their delicious breakfast. They each had three pieces of bacon, a slice of freshly buttered bread, and a couple pieces of cheese. Very satisfied with his breakfast, Pippin set his wooden plate aside when he finished.

"That was delicious, Merry." he said standing up.

Pippin walked over to the storage room and retrieved his saddle.

"Where are you going?" Merry asked.

"I have the first patrol of the day." Pippin said, placing the saddle on the back of his trusty pony.

"Are you sure you want to go out alone?" Merry asked.

"I'll be fine." Pippin said, securing the saddle around the pony's belly.

With the saddle secured, Pippin walked over to where Merry sat beside the fire.

"I'll be back soon." he said, "When I get back I'll do a little something special for you."

Pippin gave Merry a seductive look. Merry quickly caught on and raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, really?" he asked.

Pippin nodded and bent down to give him one more kiss before walking over and mounting his pony. Merry watched as Pippin rode off into the distance. He watched until Pippin 'disappeared' from sight. Finishing the last bite of his breakfast, he gathered the dirty dishes and made sure the fire was well put out before climbing back up to the balcony and entering the living area. He washed the dishes and put them away before he entered the bunk room. He retrieved a book he had brought from his bag and sat down on the bed he and Pippin shared. He couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding as he began to read. The feeling quickly went away as he began to read, immersing himself in his book. He didn't know how long he'd sat there when he decided to take a break and rest his eyes. Placing a marker in his book and closing it, he set it aside. He glance up to the window above the bed and could tell by the position of the sun that it had been well over two hours since Pippin had left; he usually took no more than an hour. He immediately became worried and jumped up and ran out onto the balcony. He scanned the landscape with his keen eyes, looking for any sign of Pippin; nothing. He took a deep breath to calm himself and he tried to maintain his composure. Sitting down in one of the chairs next to the doorway, he tried to convince himself that maybe Pippin was just taking his time, that nothing was wrong. He sat here for about another hour, trying to keep himself calm. It was nearing noon and he could stand it no longer. He jumped up and practically ran down the stairs to retrieve his saddle from the storage room. He didn't care if he was leaving the guard house unmanned; he had to find Pippin!

Mounting his white pony, Merry kicked the pony into a run, crossing the exspansive plains quickly. He traveled across the plains for about a mile, finding nothing. Now, he was more worried than ever. Where was Pippin? Looking around, he spotted a nearby forest; maybe Pippin went there on his patrol. Kicking his pony into another run, he reached the edge of the forest in less than a minute. He pulled the pony to a walk as they entered the forest, the trees and foliage too dense to travel that fast. About half an hour later with no sign of Pippin, Merry was on the verge of panic. It had been almost four hours since Pippin had left. He pulled his pony to a halt to try and collect his thoughts. He was about to proceed when a sudden scream of pain tore through the thick silence. Merry's heart froze and his blood seemed to turn to ice. He'd know that voice anywhere: Pippin!

He kneed his pony into a fast walk, following the sound of the cries. He went about a quarter of a mile when another pain-filled cry rent the air; he was very close now. He halted his pony and dismounted. He tied his pony to a tree and proceeded carefully but quickly. He soon came to a small clearing and what he saw there would haunt him forever. There, just a few feet away was his precious Pippin. Pippin was tied by either of his arms between two trees and he was surrounded by three Orcs. Pippin's tunic had been removed and his once perfect torso was marked by deep claw marks and dark bruises. Pippin sagged against the ropes, growing weaker by the second. The right side of his face was streaked with blood, which stemmed from a gash on his forehead. Merry forced himself to stay where he was, trying to assess the situation to figure the best method of attack. Suddenly, one of the Orcs, which was standing behind Pippin brought a whip above his head and brought it down ferociously onto Pippin's skinny back. Pippin cried out and grimaced. Merry's jaw tightened and anger flared inside him. He was about to charge forward and attack when he was suddenly lifted off the ground by a pair of strong, rough arms. An Orc!

"Oi! Look boys! Lookie what I found!" the Orc said as he stepped into the clearing.

"Merry!" Pippin gasped weakly.

"Ah! Another one! Now we have double the fun." another Orc said, scurrying over to where the Orc that held Merry stood, "And he's such a pretty one. We ought to have extra fun with him."

"Put me down!" Merry said, squirming in the Orc's strong grasp.

The Orc squeezed Merry painfully, making him stay still.

"Stay your tongue, little one, or loose it." the Orc said.

The Orc threw Merry roughly to the ground and stood over him.

"Please! Leave him alone!" Pippin cried.

Merry looked up in time to see another Orc deliver a punch to Pippin's cheek.

"Don't touch him!" Merry almost yelled.

The Orc that stood over Merry reached down and tightly gripped him by the throat. Merry's breath was stolen away as he struggled against the Orc's iron-like grip.

"I told you to stay quiet." the Orc said, tightening his grip.

Merry clawed at the Orc's hand, fighting desperately for a gasp of air.

"Let him go!" Pippin cried.

Merry heard Pippin release another cry of agony as the Orc brought the whip down upon him again. Then, he suddenly remembered: He had his knife in his belt. Reaching down, he pulled the knife from its sheath and plunged it into the Orc's abdomen, black blood pouring onto his hand. The Orc's grip immediately released and he gasped as the air entered his lungs. The Orc let out a strangled howl as it fell to the ground, twitching a bit before dying.

"You'll pay for that, scum!" another Orc said, advancing forward, knife in hand.

Merry turned quickly enough to deflect a blow with his knife, sending the Orc's knife flying across the clearing. With the Orc now unarmed, Merry plunged his knife into its chest, killing it instantly. He was suddenly knocked to the ground by a blow to the back of his head. The blow left him daze for a second, but did not knock him out. He looked up in just enough time to see the Orc standing over him with a long, nasty knife in hand. He rolled out of the way just in time as the Orc brought the knife down, succeeding in only stabbing the dead body of the other Orc. Merry caught the Orc off-guard and sliced its head right off. It fell to the ground, limp, its fingers twitching.

"Oi! Halfling!" he heard the last Orc call.

He turned and saw the Orc standing next to Pippin with a black knife in its hand. Before Merry could react, the Orc plunged the knife into the left side of Pippin's lower abdomen. Pippin let out a strangled cry and the Orc twisted the knife inside him, another agonizing cry escaping from Pippin. Merry stood, frozen in shock for a split second before he charged forward and stabbed the Orc through its heart, or lack there of. The Orc, knife still in hand, fell limply to the ground. Merry immediately turned his attention to Pippin, who hung limply between the two trees. He quickly cut the ropes from Pippin's wrists, Pippin falling to the ground as limp as a rag doll. Merry fell on his knees beside Pippin and turned him over to face him.

"Pip! Pippin, can you hear me?" Merry cried, holding Pippin's limp body in his arms.

Pippin made no movement; he was so pale, so lifeless. With a shaking hand, Merry pressed his fingers to the pulse point at Pippin's throat. He let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding when he felt a weak pulse flutter beneath his fingers. Fighting to stay calm, Merry gently lay Pippin back on the ground to assess his injuries. The first thing he noticed was the profusely-bleeding stab wound to Pippin's lower left abdomen. He had o stop the bleeding if he was to move Pippin and save his life. Having nothing else to use, Merry removed his tunic and wadded it up and pressed it to the wound, applying firm pressure. Merry half-hoped the pain would bring Pippin around, but he remained limp and lifeless.

"Come on, Pip. Stay with me." Merry said, holding Pip's hand tightly, "Don't leave me."

They sat like this for several more minutes before Merry lifted the wadded tunic to check on the wound. The bleeding had mostly subsided and Merry thought it was safe now to move Pippin. Wiping away some of the excess blood, Merry dropped the tunic to the ground, leaving it; they had plenty of medical supplies at the guard house. Merry very gently lifted Pippin in his arms, being very careful; he did not yet know the extent of Pippin's injuries. Merry carried him to where he had his pony tied and set him atop it, mounting behind him. They took off as fast as the pony could gallop back to the guard tower. They reached it in almost half the time it took Merry to find Pippin. They reached the guard house and Merry immediately dismounted his pony, bringing Pippin with him. He ran up the stairs and inside, crossing the living area and the walkway quickly. He gently lay Pippin down on their bed to assess his injuries. The open window above the bed provided the perfect light for this.

First, Merry went to Pippin's slightly-deformed and bruised chest. He felt along both sides with his hands. Ribs shifted on both sides and Merry prayed that none of them had pierced a lung. Next, he went to Pippin's badly bruised abdomen. He gently pressed his fingers on various locations along Pip's abdomen and found nothing unusual; no lumps or rigid spots. Next, he check Pippin's head and face; his face first. Merry's hart broke when he got a good look at Pippin's face. Nearly his entire face was covered by small streams of blood, which stood out starkly against his pale skin. There was a gash on his right cheek and a gash on the left side of his forehead. His lower lip was split and dried blood was caked up around it. Pip's face was relaxed and devoid of any movement or emotion, he just looked at peace, but something about it seemed to say 'help me'. And Merry fully intended to; he would do anything to help Pippin. He loathed to leave Pippin for even a second, but he had to get some medical supplies to clean and treat his wounds.

He stood and walked into the living area, kneeling to open the cabinet beneath the 'kitchen' table. He retrieved a roll of bandages, some clean rags, and a wooden bowl. He filled the bowl with water from the barrel and took everything to the bunk room where Pippin was still unconscious. He set the supplies on the table at the head of the bed and soaked a rag in the water, squeezing out the excess. He turned to the stab wound and cleaned off the blood that surrounded it. Once the wound was clean, he set the rag aside and took the roll of bandages and unrolled a bit. He placed the end over the wound and began winding them around Pippin's abdomen, having to lift him slightly to get the around his back. He applied a nice layer of bandages, securing them at his side.

He then turned to Pippin's bloody face. He thoroughly rinsed out the rag before using it to gently wipe away the blood that covered Pip's face. Merry felt his eyes burn as he cleaned Pippin's wounds. How could he let this happen? Why didn't he insist on going with Pippin? He could have been there for him. He could have protected him. Merry couldn't contain the tears that began to fall forth. He paused from cleaning Pippin's face and just let the tears fall. Pippin, the person he cared most about--that he loved--the person that he swore his love and life to, lay here broken and bleeding before him and it was his fault.

Wiping the tears from his face, Merry went back to cleaning Pip's wounds. He cleaned the remainder of the blood from his face and set the rag aside. Suddenly, he remembered: one of the Orcs had whipped him. Merry very gently turned Pippin over onto his stomach and gasped at the sight revealed to him. Pippin's entire back was covered in fierce, red whip lashes. Oh, they would leave terrible scars. Merry took another rag and soaked it. He carefully wiped away the blood, having to rinse out the rag twice. Pippin's back still looked bad, but not as bad as it had been. He wrapped more bandages around his chest to cover the whip lashes from infection. He turned Pippin back over, again being very gentle. Only then did he notice the angry red rope burns around Pippin's wrists from being tied between the two trees.

"Oh." Merry gasped as he lightly fingered the burns on Pippin's left wrist.

He took another rag and soaked it, lightly dabbing it on the burns, trying to offer some sort of relief for the little Hobbit laying hurt before him. Once all of Pippin's wounds were clean, Merry gathered the soiled rags and water and nearly-used-up roll of bandages and took them to the living area. He set the rags and bandages on the table and poured the bloody water over the edge of the balcony. His next thought was to notify Aragorn; he would have to write him a letter. He walked back into the bunk room and retrieved a spare piece of parchment, a bottle of ink, and a quill from his bag and began to write.

_Aragorn, _

_Something terrible has happened. Pippin has been attacked by Orcs. He is deathly wounded; I think he may be dying. Please come as quickly as possible. He has been stabbed; I don't know if the blade was poisoned or not. I do not know how long he can make it. Please hurry; he needs your help. _

_Merry_

Merry put his quill away and folded the parchment and placed it in an envelope. He stepped out onto the balcony and whistled for his trusty falcon, which had been perched on top of the roof. Every soldier was always given a falcon for carrying messages back and forth. This particular breed of small falcon was widely known for their flight speed and ability to fly long distances without much rest and to fly through almost any type of weather. The small falcon fluttered down to Merry and landed on the railing, tweeting cheerfully.

"Take this to Aragorn, girl." Merry said, tying the letter securely to the falcon's tiny leg.

The falcon tweeted as if to say 'yes' and fluttered off quickly. Merry watched the trust little bird fly away and turned and walked back into the bunk room to find Pippin still unconscious. He sat down beside him and took his limp hand into his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm here Pip. I promise I won't leave you." Merry whispered.

And he fully intended to keep that promise or die trying.

**A/N: **You had better like this because I have been typing for hours, it is 6:11 AM, and my hands are killing me. *points at you and stares with one eye closed* I'll send my evil minion bunnies after you! LOL! **PLEASE R&R!**


	4. Hold Me

Thanks for the review!

**Chapter 4: Hold Me**

The hours stretched by in a slow blur filled with tears and Merry's soft murmurs of comfort to Pippin' still, unconscious form. His skin was still pale and the bright red wounds and dark bruises seemed to stand out even more. His breathing was so shallow, it was barely there. Just by looking at his pale little face, Merry could tell Pippin was in pain. As Merry sat there, holding Pippin's hand, he was suddenly broken out of his thoughts by a very loud clap of thunder. Just a split second after the thunder, torrential rain began to pour down outside. Merry knew the heavy rain would no doubt slow Aragorn's journey to the guard house. He had had experience with traveling in extreme weather; if the weather was bad enough, a one-day journey could be turned into a three- or four-day journey or, in very extreme cases, a week-long journey.

Merry was suddenly broken out of his thoughts of the weather when he heard a weak moan. His eyes darted to Pippin and he saw the small Hobbit stirring slightly.

"Pip?" Merry asked softly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

Pippin's face scrunched up a bit and he moaned. Slowly his eyes peeped open and they were filled with pain and fear.

"Hey." Merry said softly, smiling to reassure Pip.

"Merry?" Pippin asked in a small, scared voice.

"Yes, Pip, it's me. I'm here now." Merry said, "It's okay; the Orcs are gone."

"Merry." Pippin said, this time in a pleading voice as if he were begging for comfort in one single word.

"How do you feel?" Merry asked.

"It hurts." Pippin whimpered, "H-help me, please."

"I know it hurts, Pip. But everything's going to be okay. Aragorn is on his way. He'll fix you right up." Merry reassured him, "Can I do anything for you?"

Pippin weakly nodded. He opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't seem to muster the strength to form words.

"What is it, Pip?" Merry asked leaning closer to hear anything Pippin tried to say.

"W-water." Pippin managed to say.

"Water. You're thirsty?" Merry said, making sure he heard right.

Pippin nodded. Merry nodded in return and stood from his chair. He walked into the living area and retrieved a wooden cup from the other cabinet below the table. He dipped it in the water barrel, filling it. He returned to the bunk room and sat down beside Pippin, lifting his head slightly.

"Here. Little sips, Pippin." Merry said, coaxing the water past Pippin's bruised lips.

When the cool water hit Pippin's throat he coughed a little, but allowed the soothing liquid to slide down his parched throat. When Pippin had quenched his thirst, he turned his head away slightly, a few drops of water spilling down his cheek. Merry set the cup aside and wiped the water away.

"There. Is that better?" Merry asked.

Pippin nodded. Merry could tell by the look in Pippin's eyes that he was saying 'thank you'.

"Is there anything else I can do?" Merry asked, "Are you hungry?"

Pippin shook his head, "Just stay here with me."

"Of course." Merry nodded, giving Pippin a reassuring look.

"W-will you lie down with me?" Pippin asked.

"Sure." Merry said.

He stood and very carefully moved Pippin over so he had enough room. He moved the blanket aside and lay down beside Pippin, pulling the blanket back over them both. He gently wrapped his arms around Pippin and held him in his warm embrace. They lay there, the only sounds were the heavy rain outside and Pippin's occasional whimper or moan of pain. Merry found the sound of the rain to be hypnotic and he soon found himself drifting off into a dreamless sleep, Pippin still held in his arms.

* * *

Merry didn't know how long he'd lain there; it must've been several hours because he awoke to the sound of his falcon fluttering wildly around the room and tweeting frantically. It was still raining heavily outside and a loud clap of thunder brought him to full wakefulness. He looked over and saw Pippin either asleep or unconscious; he hoped it was the first one. Moving slowly so as not to wake him, Merry climbed out of bed and motioned for the falcon to land on his shoulder. The little bird obeyed and shook its feathers dry. Merry sat down on the edge of the other bunk and took the small bundle from the falcon's leg. The bundle consisted of a small brown leather, drawstring bag and a folded piece of parchment. He unfolded the parchment and began to read.

_Merry,_

_Do not worry; I am on my way. I will be there as soon as I possibly can. If you are with Pippin, there is no reason to worry. I know he is in the best of care with you. Use this bag of Athelas on his wounds and make a tea from it just like I taught you. The tea should help with any internal injuries he may have. Just try not to panic; you have a good head on your shoulders and you're smarter than you give yourself credit for. I know you'll do everything in your power to care for Pippin. _

_Aragorn_

Re-folding the parchment, Merry set it aside and opened the small pouch. Inside was a nice amount of Athelas; it should be plenty for Pip's wounds. He stood and entered the living space, letting his falcon perch on the back of one of the chairs. He retrieved a mortar and pestle from the medical supply cabinet and set it on the table next to the bag of Athelas. He filled a small wooden cup with water and opened the bag. He took a small handful of the fresh-smelling Athelas and placed it in the mortar. He used the pestle to grind it into small pieces, adding a little water every now and then to make a thick paste.

Once that was done, he got a fresh roll of bandages, some clean rags, and re-filled the wooden cup. He took everything into the bunk room and set them neatly on the table. He loathed to wake Pippin from his peaceful slumber, but he had to change his bandages and apply the Athelas paste. He sat down in his chair and gently shook him.

"Pip. Pippin, it's time to wake up." he said softly.

Pippin reluctantly opened his eyes, whincing in pain. He gave Merry a questioning look as to why he woke him.

"I have to change you're bandages, okay, Pip?" Merry said.

Pippin nodded. Merry carefully cut the bandages and slowly unwound them from Pippin's torso. Pippin whimpered in pain as the bandages were removed from his wound; they had become stuck to it a little and it hurt for them to be pulled away. Merry folded them and lay them on the floor. He carefully looked over the stab wound and saw that it had bleeding a bit and the skin around it looked a bit discolored; it was probably just bruising. He took a rag and soaked it, squeezing out the excess water. He gently wiped away the excess blood, making sure the wound was as clean as possible. He then took the bowl of Athelas and got a little on his fingers.

"This may sting a bit." Merry said.

He carefully applied the green paste. Pippin cried out and gripped the blanket beneath him when the paste came into contact with his wound.

"Sorry about this, Pip." Merry said sympathetically.

Pippin whimpered as Merry gently spread the Athelas around the wound, applying it thoroughly. Once that was done, he took the roll of bandages and wound them around Pippin's abdomen again, providing a thick layer so the Athelas wouldn't seep through.

"There now, isn't that better?" Merry said, securing the bandages at Pippin's side.

Pippin nodded slightly and Merry gave him a reassuring smile. Merry took the soiled bandages and entered the living area and disposed of them in the waste basket in the corner beside the table. He walked back to the bunk room and gathered the other supplies and took them back to the living area, putting them away. He then took a small cauldron and its stand out of the cabinet and set them on the table. He then took some more Athelas out of the bag and placed it in the cauldron and poured some water in with it. He got a few other herbs out of the cabinet and crumbled them up in the cauldron. Stirring all of it together, he lit a small fire under it in the specially-made stand. Satisfied that it was prepared right, Merry stepped back into the bunk room. He saw Pippin whimpering and trembling, gripping onto his blanket.

"Pip, what's wrong?" Merry asked, rushing over.

"Th-thunder." Pippin said.

Ever since Merry could remember, Pippin had always been scared of thunder. He couldn't count the number of times when they were little, Pippin would come running into his room during a thunderstorm and jump into bed with him, staying there all night. And for him to be comforted, Merry had to hold him and stroke his hair.

"Would you like me to lay down with you?" Merry asked.

"Yes, please." Pippin said.

Merry nodded and carefully moved Pippin over again and lay down next to him, bringing the covers up over them. Pippin snuggled up to Merry and lay his head on his chest. Merry gently enveloped him in his arms.

"There. Is that better?" Merry asked.

Pippin nodded, "It doesn't seem to hurt as much when you hold me."

"Well then, in that case, I'll hold you forever." Merry said.

Pippin smiled slightly and let his eyes drift closed. Once again, Merry felt himself lulled by the sound of the rain pounding outside and he drifted off into sleep along with Pippin. The hours slowly stretched by in a hypnotic blur. Merry could still hear the rain, but it sounded very distant, as if in a dream. He let the exhaustion of the day's events overtake him and he was content to feel Pippin's warmth beside him. Sometime in the early hours of the morning, Merry slowly came back to the world of wakefulness. Slowly opening his eyes, he felt something rather hot next to him. Then, he suddenly realized: it was Pippin! His eyes shot open and he leaned up on his elbow to look at Pip.

He was even paler than before, if that was possible. His lips were tinged with blue and they were parted slightly, Pippin struggling to breathe. Merry lay a hand to Pippin's forehead and was surprised to feel a very high fever burning beneath his hand. This definitely was not good. Merry jumped up and rushed into the living area. He got a clean rag and a wooden bowl from the cabinet and filled the bowl with water from the barrel. Taking it back to the bunk room, he sat down and set the bowl on the table. He moved Pippin's blanket down to his waist and soaked the rag in the water. He lightly wiped the cool, wet rag across Pippin's forehead and neck, trying to cool him down. He also wiped it across Pip's chest and shoulders. Feeling the coolness of the rag, Pippin awakened, weak and in terrible pain. Pippin's eyes were filled with pain and they seemed to cry out for help.

"Hey, Pip." Merry said softly, "How do you feel?"

"M-Merry......I think I'm going to be sick." Pippin moaned.

Acting quickly, Merry ran into the living area and got another wooden bowl. He reached Pippin just in time. Pippin leaned over the edge of the bed and threw up violently into the bowl. He coughed and gasped, pain shooting through his chest as his six broken ribs shifted. Merry gently brushed Pippin's curls away from his face, whispering gentle comforts to him. Suddenly, Pippin threw up again, coughing and choking. Merry gently rubbed his hot back to the try and relax him.

"It's okay, Pip. Just let it all out. That's good." Merry gently comforted.

Pippin moaned and collapsed, gasping, what little energy had was spent. Merry set the bowl on the floor and helped Pippin turn back over onto his back and brought the blanket back over him.

"I'll be right back." Merry said.

He picked up the bowl and took it out onto the balcony, pouring the contents over the edge. He stepped back into the living area and quickly washed the bowl out, setting it aside to dry. He then knelt in front of the table and got the roll of bandages and some rags. He took them and the rest of the Athelas paste into the bunk room and set them on the table.

"I need to check your wound, Pip." Merry said, moving the blanket down.

Pippin was too weak to say anything, so he just nodded weakly. Merry removed the bandages, Pippin whimpering as the bandages stuck to the wound again. Merry set the bandages aside and was shocked to see the condition of the wound. The wound was black and there were black veins of poison running from it. Merry's worst fear had just been confirmed: the blade that stabbed Pippin had been poisoned. Merry felt that 'sinking feeling' in the pit of his stomach and fear grew inside him. He reached over and soaked a rag in the cool water and gently wiped away the excess Athelas paste from the wound. Pippin moaned in pain. Merry took some more Athelas paste and spread it generously around the wound. Since the wounds on Pippin's back weren't as serious as the stab wound, Merry saved the Athelas for the stab wound only. Merry carefully re-bandaged the wound and brought the blankets back over Pippin, allowing him to settle back against his pillow to get some rest.

Merry stood and gathered all of the supplies and took them back to the living area, disposing of the soiled bandages. He put away the rest and decided to take a look at the Athelas mixture brewing in the cauldron. He peeked inside the cauldron and stirred the mixture, observing it carefully. He thought it was done, so he blew out the fire beneath it and used a ladle to fill a small cup with some of the mixture. The brew took fourteen hours to complete, so he made sure he made plenty of it. He walked back into the bunk room and sat down next to Pippin, who was almost asleep all ready.

"Pip, I'm sorry to keep bothering you, but you need to drink some of this; it will help you get better." Merry said softly.

Pippin nodded and opened his eyes. Merry slipped his hand underneath Pippin's neck and lifted his head gently. Placing the rim of the cup to Pippin's lips, he tipped the cup slightly, allowing Pippin enough time to swallow. Surprisingly, the mixture tasted rather sweet and had a smooth consistency, and the smell filled his lungs, allowing him to breathe a bit easier. Inhaling the fresh, semi-sweet aroma of the mixture, Pippin's mind cleared and his body relaxed and he felt a little sleepy. Once Pippin had drunk about half the mixture, Merry removed the cup and gently lay Pippin's head back on the pillow.

"Now you can rest." Merry said.

Weak and weary from pain, Pippin nodded slightly and shifted to get comfortable. Less than a few minutes later, he found himself claimed by sleep. As he drifted off, Merry watched him, not daring to tear his eyes away from Pippin's innocent face for even a second. The only sound that filled the room was Pippin's strained breathing and the still-pounding rain outside. Every now and then, a clap of thunder would rack the air. The seconds slowly turned into minutes, and the minutes into hours that stretched on for what seemed like forever to Merry. Each second that passed by, he wished more and more that he could take Pippin's place, bear the pain for him, so he wouldn't have to endure this terrible suffering. Every now and then, Pippin's face would twitch or he would moan softly in pain as the poison coursed through his tiny form. Merry didn't know what kind of poison it was and he had no idea what kind of damage it could inflict upon Pippin's body. For all he knew, Pippin could be slowly bleeding out inside and he couldn't do a thing about it. He felt so helpless, so scared, but he knew he had to stay strong for Pippin. He wouldn't let this poison overcome him. He was going to save him if it was the last thing he ever did.

**A/N:** Well, there it is. Hope you like it. **PLEASE R&R! **Hope it didn't sound repetitive with Merry walking back and forth, changing Pippin's bandages, and gathering the supplies and everything. :)


	5. Worsening

Thanks for the review! :)

**Chapter 5: Worsening**

Pippin didn't know how long he'd lain there asleep when he was awakened by a wave of pain. He gasped as his body was racked it. His eyes shot open and he felt increadibly weak. He felt a deep, pulsing pain with each beat of his heart, the poison coursing through his veins with each beat. The stab wound to his abdomen felt like it was on fire and each time he took a breath, it felt like shattered glass was trapped underneath his skin as his broken ribs shifted. It felt as if molten lava were flowing across his back as sweat rolled down and seeped through his bandages and came into contact with the whip lashes. This pain was more intense than anything he'd ever felt; this was utter torture. His breath came in feverish little gasps and he felt starved for oxygen. He felt devoid of any energy and he was completely exhausted.

A sudden very loud clap of thunder made him jump, jarring his body painfully. He whimpered and tried to hunker down into his blankets, but he couldn't move without white-hot pain shoting through his entire body.

"Merry!" he cried out, tears beginning to spill down his pale, hot cheeks.

Merry, who had been lightly dozing on the bunk beside him, was up in a plit second. He stood over Pippin, cradling his face gently in his hands, tears streaming down Pip's face.

"What's wrong?" Merry gasped, "What is it, Pip?"

"Merry.....hurts.....please.....help....." Pippin gasped.

Merry could tell that Pippin was struggling to speak. He felt of Pippin's forehead and was shocked at how high his fever had risen in such a short time. Merry grabbed the rag that lay on the table at the head of Pippin's bed and soaked it in the bowl of water. He gently wiped it over Pippin's face, chest, and shoulders and lightly dabbed it along his neck, all the while whispering words of comfort to him.

"It's going to be okay, Pip. Just stay with me, all right? Just stay with me." Merry whispered.

Pippin's body trembled with fear and pain and he whimpered, more tears spilling down his hot cheeks. Merry sat down on the edge of the bed and gently wiped away the tears with the rag. As Merry looked over Pip's face, he became more worried than ever. Pippin looked so sick; his skin was as pale as a sheet and the area around his eyes had a red tint to it. His lips had a dark blue tint to them as he struggled to get even a gasp of air in. Merry re-soaked the rag and wiped it slowly across Pippin's forehead. Pippin sighed with slight relief; the cool rag felt like heaven on his burning skin.

"Mm....that feels good." Pippin said soflty, turning his head to the side so Merry could dab the cool rag on his neck.

Merry did so and Pippin sighed again.

"You know what would feel so good right now?" Pippin asked, his voice weak and slow.

"What?" Merry asked.

"A nice, cool bath." Pippin answered, just imagining immersing himself in a tub of cool, fresh water, all his pain just melting away.

"Would you like me to give you a nice sponge-bath?" Merry asked, "It isn't an actual bath, but you'd probably feel a little better; I need to change your bandages anyway. How does that sound?"

"Sounds wonderful." Pippin moaned.

"All right. Just let me get a few things." Merry said, standing up.

He walked into the living area and knelt down to retieve a few more rags, the roll of bandages, and the last of the Athelas paste; he would have to make some more later. He took all of these items and placed them on the table at the head of Pip's bed. He moved the blanket off Pippin and sat on the edge of the bed. He carefully removed the old bandages and lay them on the floor. He took a quick look at the stab wound; it didn't look much different, the black veins had become longer, though. He took a wet rag and gently wiped away the dried Athelas paste and dried blood from the tender wound. Pippin sucked in his breath suddenly as the cool rag came into contact with the wound.

"Sorry." Merry apologized, feeling guilty for causing more pain to the all ready suffering Hobbit.

Once the wound was clean, Merry took the other layer of bandages from around Pippin's chest to reveal the dark bruises standing out starkly against the pale skin.

"I need to sit you up. Okay, Pip?" Merry said.

Pippin nodded and allowed Merry to very gently lift his weak body up. Pippin was too weak to even hold his head up; he rested it on Merry's shoulder.

"Now, let's see if this doesn't make you feel a bit better." Merry said, soaking a rag in the water.

He carefully wiped the rag across Pippin's hot back, being careful not to put too much pressure on the tender, red wounds. Pippin whinced as the cool rag came into contact with the open wounds on his back, but at the same time, it offered a sense of relief from the fever burning inside him. Merry gently wiped the rag all down Pip's back and across his drooping shoulders and arms.

"Merry?" Pippin asked.

"Yes, Pip?" Merry said.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me." Pippin said weakly.

"Think nothing of it, Pip. It's no trouble at all." Merry said, "I promised you on our wedding day that I would take care of you no matter what."

Pip smiled slightly at the mention of their wedding day--the happiest day of his life. Merry finished wiping down Pippin's back and gently lay him back down on the bed. He repeated the proccess on Pippin's torso, wiping away the sweat and making his skin feel refreshed. Setting the rag aside, Merry picked up the small bowl with the last little bit of Athelas paste. He spread it thoroughly around the stab wound and swathed Pippin's torso once again in fresh, dry bandages.

"Pip, I should probably change your bedding." Merry said, knowing that Pippin had been laying there for nearly two days and he was sweating from fever and the bedding as no doubt rather uncomfortable by now.

Pippin nodded. Merry lifted Pippin's limp form into his arms, usung the utmost care so as not to jar his ribs or stretch his wounds. He lay him gently on the bunk next to the bed and turned back to the bed. He stripped the bed of all the sheets and blankets and took them to the living area to wash later. He retrieved fresh bedding from the cabinet and went back to the bunk room. He made quick work of putting the new sheets and blankets on the bed; he even changed the pillowcases.

"Here, maybe now you can rest better." Merry said, lifting Pip into his arms again.

He carefully lay him back down on the bed and brought the blankets up over him. Pippin sighed and settled back aginst the soft pillow. He felt refreshed from the bath and the soiled, damp bandages no longer clung to his skin. The cool, crisp sheets and blankets caressed him and he felt like he was in heaven, floating on a cloud. For the first time since Merry brought him back to the guard house, Pippin relaxed and felt just a tiny bit better. He found himself claimed by sleep almost instantly.

Merry smiled and placed a light kiss on Pip's forehead, gently stroking his whispy bands from his face. He was glad Pip could finally get some much-needed rest; he was going to need his strength if he was going to fight this poison. Pippin slept most of the day, which was no surprise to Merry. The poison seemed to be draining his energy, making him weaker. Merry just hoped and prayed that the poison wouldn't cause any internal bleeding; if that happened, there was absolutely nothing he could do but hold Pippin as he bled.

As the hours stretched by, Merry became restless. First, he just stood and paced back and forth in the bunk room; this lasted about half an hour. Slowly, he ventured into the living area. Soon, he tired of just pacing, so he decided to try and do something constructive. He straightened up a bit in the living area and organized the supplies in the cabinets. He washed a few dishes and cleaned out the mortar and pestle and mixed up some fresh Athelas paste. He placed a small rag over the top of the mortar to act as a lid so the paste wouldn't dry out before he needed to use it again. Finding nothing else to do, he returned to the bunk room and sat next to Pippin, who was still sleeping relatively peacefully.

"I love you, Pip." Merry whispered, gently stroking Pippin's mass of curls, "You are so beautiful. You just have to stay with me, okay? Aragorn will be here soon, you know. He'll come and fix this. Then everything will be okay."

Pippin moaned softly and shifted slightly in his sleep as if in response.

"Please don't leave me, Pip." Merry whispered, "I love you so much."

Merry hung his head, trying to fight back tears.

"I love you, too, Mer." he heard a small voice say.

He looked up and Pippin was beginning to wake.

"Hey, sleepy-head." Merry said softly.

Pippin gave a small smile.

"I won't leave you, Merry; I love you too much to do that." Pippin said.

"Just stay strong, Pip. I know you can fight this." Merry said, gently squeezing his hand, "I know you can."

Pippin's eyes drifted upward to the ceiling and he seemed to be concentrating on something Merry could not see. Merry stayed silent and just let Pip's mind wander, let his imagination take him anywhere he wanted.

"The rain sounds nice." Pippin said after several minutes, "Remember how we used to run through the rain? It's been a long time since we've done that. I miss it."

"Well, I'll tell you what. As soon as you get better, we'll go running in the rain, stay out as long as we want to, just the two of us." Merry said.

"That sounds wonderful." Pippin said.

Merry smiled; he was glad Pippin was awake and talking. He was never so grateful to hear Pippin's sweet, accented voice. They sat there for hours, just talking. Not about anything special; just talking. They talked on a variety of subjects from running together in the rain to pipe-weed. Pippin talked about things in his imagination, something he loved to do. Pippin had always had a creative imagination, which most other Hobbits ignored. Merry was just about the only one wo would listen to him when he talked of playing in the clouds or traveling to distant lands or chasing butterflies through a meadow.

"Will you carry me out to look at the rain?" Pippin asked.

"Why do you want to look at the rain?" Merry asked.

"I don't know; I just like to." Pippin replied.

"All right." Merry agreed.

Merry stood and very carefully lifted Pippin's small form in his arms. Pippin leaned his head on Merry's shoulder, still too weak to hold it up on his own. Merry crossed the living area and stepped out onto the balcony, staying under the eave of the roof to avoid getting wet. Pippin looked back and forth across the plains, which could barely be seen through the blanket of rain. He inhaled as deeply as he could without hurting his ribs, smelling the fresh scent of the rain. Pip reached his hand out to where the rain was dripping off the eave of the roof, getting a few drops of water on his fingers. Bringing his hand back, he stared at the tiny raindrops in wonder. Pippin had always been able to see intricate beauty in things others couldn't. He'd had this gift since he had been very small.

"I see little rainbows." Pippin said after a few seconds.

Indeed, the way the light hit the raindrops, tiny little spectrums of light could be seen inside them.

"You never cease to amaze me, Pip." Merry said.

Pippin continued to closely examine the raindrops; Merry wandering what was going through his head.

"Ready to go lay back down?" Merry asked after a few minutes.

"Yes, please." Pippin said.

Merry turned an carried Pip back to the bunk room and lay him gently on the bed.

"That was very nice; thank you, Merry." Pippin said, the little 'trip' outside had refreshed him a bit.

"You're very welcome." Merry said, "Can I do anything else for you? Are you hungry?"

"Yes. Do we have any mushrooms?" Pippin replied.

Merry chuckled, "I believe we do have a few. Let me go see."

He stood and entered the living area. He lifted the trap door in the middle of the floor and walked down the set of wooden steps to the small storage room. Looking around, he spotted a small box set atop a stack of larger ones. He walked over and opened it. Inside were several fresh, plump mushrooms; just the way Pippin liked them. He closed the box and walked back up the steps, closing the trap door behind him. He set the box on the kitchen table and retrieved a wooden plate from the cabinet below. He set two of the plump mushrooms on the plate along with a piece of cheese and buttered bread. He took the plate into the bunk room and sat down on the edge of the bed. He broke off small pieces and fed them to Pippin, giving him sips of water periodically. Pippin savored the delicious taste of the mushrooms; it reminded him of the Shire.

"Thank you." Pippin said, swallowing the last bite of mushroom.

"You're welcome." Merry said, setting the plate on the table at the head of the bed.

"Do you mind if I go to sleep for a while?" Pippin asked, once again feeling exhausted.

"Of course not. You go right ahead." Merry said, "If you need anything, just let me know."

Pippin nodded and snuggled down underneath his warm, soft blankets. He fell asleep quickly, lulled by the hypnotic sound of the rain; listening to the rain always made him sleepy.

**A/N: **I really like the way this chappy turned out. It's more of a sweet scene than the others. I hope you like it as much as I do. :) Since the first chapter of this story, I have literally stayed up all night to get these chapters finished. I don't mind, though; I have recently experienced the worst case of writer's block EVER and I am just now getting my creative edge back and it feels so good to finally be writing and posting again. :)


	6. Dying

Hi, I'm back! And I will more than likely stay up all night again to finish this chapter. :) Weee! Another all-nighter! LOL! Read and enjoy!

**Chapter 6: Dying**

He was drowning. Drowning in a river of fire. The pain was blinding, near to unbearable. His throat felt tight, as if he were being slowly smothered to death by a pair of strong hands. He felt completely drained of energy; he couldn't move. He felt something strange in his abdomen; something was definately not right. It felt as if there were liquid slowly floating around loosely inside his belly. What did this mean? What was happening?

He heard a voice calling his name. The voice sounded distant and echoing. He sensed a loving and concerned tone about the voice and he pulled himself towards it. As he moved toweads it, the voice became clearer and he knew it was Merry. The voice was telling him the open his eyes, to come back. It was all he could do to muster the strength to peep his eyes open. As he opened his eyes, he felt a strong, gentle hand slip into his and give a reassuring squeeze. His vision was blurred and the room seemed to be spinning, making his uneasy stomach turn. He quickly shut his eyes, focusing on trying not to drown in the wave of nausea that washed over him.

"Come on, Pip. Open your eyes for me." Merry said.

The nausea ebbing away, Pippin opened his eyes slightly again. His vision was a little more focused this time and he saw Merry's worried face hovering over him. He felt a hand reach up and stroke his hair. He whimpered as another wave of pain wash over him. He was paralyzed with agony and he felt as if he were immersed in a pool of fire. He felt a deep, pulsing pain with each beat of his heart; it was a thousand times more intense than before.

"Come on, Pippin. Stay with me, okay? Just stay with me." Merry said, shaking with worry.

Merry had never seen Pippin like this before and it scared him. He was barely drawing a breath, his lips a dark blue color. His face was as pale as a sheet and the sheen of sweat covered his body. His curls were plastered to his face and neck and his fever was higher than ever. Every bit of his energy was drained and he just lay completely limp. he looked so small, so sick.

Merry reached over to the table at the head of the bed and soaked a rag in the bowl of water. He gently wiped the cool rag over Pippin's pale face and neck, trying in vain to keep his burning fever under control. he had been repeating this process for hours; wiping the cool rag over Pippin's face, whispering comforts to him, listening to his labored breathing and whimpers of pain. Nothing he was ddoing was helping Pip; he felt so helpless.

"M-Mer....ry......h-help........hur...ts." Pippin gasped weakly.

Merry looked in compassion down on Pippin and nodded.

"I know, Pip. I know it hurts." Merry said, "It's going to be okay. I'm sure Aragorn will be here soon."

He had been telling Pippin the same thing for hours, trying to reassure him and keep him calm. The more nervous and agitated Pippin was, the faster his heart beat was and the faster the poison pulsed through his body. Merry had never been so scared in his life; he had nver been faced with the possibility of loosing the only person he truly loved. If he were to loose Pippin, he wouldn't be able to go on; Pippin was his life, Pippin was his reason to live, Pippin was his heart. He wouldn't be able to live without him; he would have no reason to live.

He was broken out of his thoughts by a weak cough. He looked down to Pip and saw that he was coughing and gasping, as if he were choking. His face was marked with pain and he grimaced weakly.

"It's okay, Pip. It's okay. Just breathe. Breathe." Merry whispered, stroking Pippin's shoulder.

But Pippin couldn't breathe; he felt his throat blocked by something. He didn't know what it was, but he felt a warmth slowly creeping up through his chest to his throat. He felt it growing higher and more intense. He coughed weakly and felt a warm liquid come out of his mouth.

Merry sat frozen in shock at the sight in front of him. He felt his heart still for a split second; his worst fear had suddenly happened. As Pippin coughed, a crimson liquid dripped down his chin and down the side of his face: blood. Pippin was bleeding internally! Merry fought to keep calm; he could _not_ loose it now. If he lost control of his emotions, Pippin was doomed. He reached over to the table and picked up the rag. He gently wiped away the small stream of blood from Pippin's face, whispering words of comfort to him. Pippin whimpered in fear as he felt the warmth creep up his throat again. He gagged and coughed, bringing up more of the crimson liquid. Pain seared through his chest and abdomen, the feeling of the loose liquid becoming more intense and more painful.

"Merry, please......make it stop.....help....." Pippin cried.

Merry felt his hart break at the fear and pain held in Pippin's voice. He wanted more than anything to help Pip, to make this suffering go away.

"Pip, I promise you're going to be all right. You're going to get through this. I know you can. I promise I won't leave you." Merry said, holding Pippin's limp hand.

Pippin trusted Merry; Merry never broke a promise to him. Suddenly, Pippin felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and his vision began to grow dark. His eyes drooped and he fought to keep them open. He once again felt the warmth creep into his throat and he gave a pitiful cough, not possessing the strength to do more. Blood dripped out of his mouth and he choked, fighting for air. He coughed weakly and brought up more blood. The amount of blood Pippin had coughed up in such a short period of time terrified Merry; what if Pippin bled out before Aragorn got there?

"Stay with me, Pip. Stay with me. It's going to be all right." Merry comforted.

"M-Merry......" Pippin gasped, grasping weakly at Merry's hand.

Merry quickly took Pip's hand and leaned closer to hear anything he might say.

"What is it, Pip?" Merry asked.

"I......I love.....you...." Pippin said struggled to say, his vision growing darker.

Instantly, Merry 'put two and two together'.

"Oh, no, no, no, Pip. Don't you do that. Don't you start saying good-bye." Merry said, "Don't. You are going to get throug this. You're going to be all right."

"Merry....." Pippin gasped as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Merry's jaw tightened with worry and his mind raced. What was he going to do? Where was Aragorn? What was going to happen to Pippin? Merry sat there for hours, holding Pippin's hand and whispering comforts to him. He didn't know if Pippin could hear him or if he was lost in the depths of darkness. Listening to Pippin's labored breathing was torture to him; he knew Pippin was in pain with every strained breath. He continued with the monotinous process of wiping Pippin's face with the wet rag to try and cool his fever. He didn't know how many hours he sat there when he was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of a horse whinying and the sound of hoof beats outside. Could it be......

Merry jumped up and ran across the room and out onto the balcony. Looking down, his heart cried out for joy; it was Aragorn! Aragorn quickly dismounted his horse and ran up the steps to the balcony. Almost before he reached the top of the stairs, he was met by a tight embrace from Merry, who was on the verge of crying with joy.

"Oh, Aragorn, I thought you'd never come!" Merry cried, "Please, you have to help Pippin; I think he may be dying!"

"Quickly, take me to him." Aragorn said urgently.

Aragorn followed Merry into the bunk room and he quickly knelt beside the bed where Pippin lay. He was stunned at the condition Pippin was in; this was a sight he dreaded: seeing one of his dearest friends on the verge of death. He pressed his fingers to the pulse point at his throat. He felt a very weak pulse beat beneath his fingers.

"How long has he been like this?" Aragorn asked, turning to Merry, who stood nervously beside him.

"A-a few hours--I don't know." Merry answered, "He coughed up blood a couple hours ago."

Aragorn paled; this was bad. He had to act quickly if he was going to save Pippin.

"Merry, you need to go wait in the other room." he said.

Merry was about to protest, but he knew Aragorn knew best in a situation like this. He walked slowly into the living area and took a seat at the dining table. He sat there for what seemed like forever, a thousand questions and thoughts running through his mind. He was constantly fighting back tears, he couldn't loose it just yet; this wasn't over yet. After what seemed like forever, he felt a large hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Aragorn standing there.

"Is he all right?" Merry asked immediately.

"He's stable for now. I got here just in time; a few more minutes and the poison would have reached his heart." Aragorn replied.

"Is he going to be okay?" Merry asked.

"At this early point, I do not know. The next twenty-four hours will be extemely critical to him. I got the internal bleeding staunched, but his fever has yet to break. If it gets any higher, there won't be anything I can do for him." Aragorn explained, "But he is resting peacefully now."

Merry couldn't stand it anymore; he just couldn't. He buried his face in his arms and broke down into tears. He had been containing his emotions for three days now so he could focus on caring for Pippin, but now, he couldn't hold it in anymore. He didn't care if the whole world saw it; he let the tears flow. Aragorn looked with sympathy on the small Hobbit before him and he sat down beside him, taking him into his arms. Merry buried his face in Aragorn's shoulder and cried his eyes out.

"Shhhh, shhhh. It's all right." Aragorn whispered, stroking Merry's quivering back gently, "We just have to be strong for him."

They sat like this for several more minutes, not saying a word; just Merry crying out the tears that had been building up over the past three days and Aragorn humming a soft Elven verse to him. After several minutes, Merry's cries slowly died down and they were replaced by deep breaths. Aragorn knew he had fallen asleep. He carefully lifted him into his arms and caried him into the bunk room. He gently lay him down on the bunk next to Pippin's, bringing the covers up over him.

"Sleep well, my little Hobbits." Aragorn whispered, placing a kiss to Merry's forehead.

00000000000000000000

Merry was awakened by someone shaking him gently. He grogily opened his eyes to see Aragorn bending over him.

"Merry, Merry, wake up!" Aragron said urgently.

"What happened?" Merry gasped, sitting up quickly, "Is he all right? How is he?"

Merry feared the worst and he tried to mentally prepare himself for whatever Aragorn said.

"His fever broke." Aragorn said, smiling.

At first, Merry was stunned; he had been prepared for the worst news, but the best had just been delivered to him.

"What?" Merry asked, still in shock.

"His fever broke." Aragorn repeated, "He's going to be all right!"

Merry couldn't believe it. Was it true? Could it be true? Relief flooded over him and he released the breath he didn't realize he was holding. He had never felt so relieved in his life; this was the greatest news he could ever hear.

"Oh, Aragorn, you saved him!" Merry cried, embracing Aragorn, "You saved him!"

"Thank you, Merry, but it is not I who saved him." Aragorn said.

"What do you mean?" Merry said, pulling back.

"If it were not for you, Pippin would not have survived. It was your love and your very presence that kept him alive; he had something to fight for. With you here with him, Pippin could not have had any better care." Aragorn explained, "You saved him."

Merry smiled and his eyes drifted over to Pippin's sleeping form. Noticing this, Aragorn moved over and let Merry off the bed. Merry stood and walked over to Pippin's bed and sat down on the edge. Oh, Pippin looked so much better; his breathing had returned to normal and there was only the slightest tint of blue to his lips, there was a hint of pale peach returning to his cheeks, and the area around his eyes that had been red was just a little darker that the rest of his skin. He gently took Pippin's han in his and held it to his heart. The movement roused Pippin and he opened his eyes slightly.

"Hey, sleepy-head." Merry said, smiling from ear to ear.

Pippin smiled weakly.

"I love you, Merry." he said in a small voice, "Thank you so much for saving me."

Merry nodded and felt tears of joy forming in his eyes.

"How do you feel?" Merry asked.

"So much better." Pippin said, "I'm really tired, though."

"Well, you just rest as much as you please." Merry said, "You used up all your strength fighting this poison, now you need to get it back."

Pippin nodded and slipped back into sleep. The ravaging poison was gone from his body and it left him completely exhausted. His wounds still hurt, but they didn't hurt near as much as they did before. Merry gently lay Pippin's hand back down and placed a light kiss to his forehead. He looked up to Aragorn, who motioned for them to go to the living area to let Pippin rest. They entered the living area and Merry took a seat at the dining table. Aragorn searched through the cabinet beneath the kitchen table for the ingredients for a special tea he made; he had come up with the recipie himself. He looked over his shoulder and saw Merry rubbing his forehead, still in disbelief.

"You want to talk about it?" Aragorn asked, turning back tohis work.

"I don't know what to say; I still can't believe it. I mean, he was so sick, dying, and now he's suddenly better." Merry said.

"I've seen this happen before. While trying to adjust to someting so suddenly, people often feel overwhelmed." Aragorn explained.

"You're sure he's going to be all right?" Merry asked.

"Quite certain." Aragorn said, "He should be completely back to normal in a couple of months; it will take that long for his wounds to heal."

"His physical wounds, you mean." Merry said after a short pause.

"What was that?" Aragorn asked, turning around.

"It'll take that long for his physical wounds to heal, but what if he is emotionally scarred? What will happen then?" Merry asked.

"Then we will help him get through it." Aragorn said, walking over and sitting down next to him, "With the proper care and love, a person can get through just about anything."

Merry nodded, reassured. He glanced into the bunk room at Pippin's sleeping form, and he smiled; everything was going to be just fine, he knew it.

**A/N: **Well, there it is! Hope you like it. I pulled another all-nighter to get this done, not that I mind; I love to write and after this recent bout of writer's block, it feels very refreshing to get back to it after so long. :) **One more chapter and the story will be done! :) Weeeee! PLEASE R&R!**


	7. Epilogue

Okay, here it is! The FINAL chapter of the story! This is the first time I've finished a story in a LONG time! Oh, I'm so excited! Weeee! LOL!

**Chapter 7: Epilogue**

Pippin peeked his head out of the washroom and saw Merry sitting on the bed, leaned against the headboard reading a leather-bound book. The moonlight streaming in from the open window cast a beautiful light all around the room, creating a romantic aura. The air in the room was cool and smelled of a fresh spring meadow and crushed oranges. It was the perfect time for a romantic night.

"Merry, put down your book." Pippin said.

"Why?" Merry said, looking up.

"I have a surprise for you." Pippin asnwered.

Intreagued, Merry placed a marker in his book and set it on the nightstand and sat up straighter. Pippin emerged from the washroom arrayed in only a loose burgundy tunic trimmed with tiny gold filigree. The tunin came down to his mid-thigh and had a low neckline. Burgundy aways looked great on Pippin; it complimented his skin tone and his eyes beautifully. His pale, creamy skin seemed to glow softly in the moonlight and his emerald-green eyes shone with passion and love.

"You look absolutely beautiful." Merry said, eyeing him seductively.

Pippin smiled and walked slowly over to the bed, climbing atop the cool, crisp sheets. He moved over to gently straddle Merry's lap, placing his hands on his strong shoulders. They sat there like this for several minutes, just looking into each other's eyes. Merry's eyes wandered and he gazed at Pippin's face, studying every detail. Pippin's once flawless face was now marked with a scar on his left cheek and on the right side of his forehead. They were constant reminders of that harrowing experience almost five months ago. How scared they had been, how much pain they both went through, how blessed they were to have one another. There were other scars marking his back and where the stab wound had been on his abdomen. They had learned to live with the scars; at first, Pippin was very self-conscious about them and didn't want to be touched. He felt awkward and undersirable, but Merry reassured him that he was just as beautiful as ever. That first time they made love after the incident, Pippin found that the scars were sensitive and when Merry kissed them, it made him tingle.

Pippin gently cupped Merry's face in his hands and brought their lips together in a passionate kiss. Merry's eyes fluttered shut as Pippin kissed him; he loved the fresh taste of Pippin's soft lips and the warm depths of his mouth. He gently massaged Pippin's lower lip with his tongue, begging for access to that wonderful mouth. Access was granted and their tongues clashed, raising a moan from both of them. Merry's hand wandered slowly up Pippin's thigh, toying with the hem of his tunic. He slipped his hand beneath the tunic and he was pleasantly surprised to find that Pippin was wearing nothing under it.

Pippin let out a gasp as Merry's warm hand met his cool flesh, giving a gentle squeeze. Oh, Merry was so talented with his hands; he could have Pippin moaning and writhing beneath him with a few cleverly-placed strokes of his hand. Pippin felt light-headed as Merry lightly stroked him, placing warm kisses to his neck. Pippin almost lost himself in the sensation when he remembered why he had made a move for this romantic night.

"Wait." Pippin gasped, pulling Merry's hand away.

"What's wrong?" Merry asked, confused.

"That day I left from the guard house, I promised I would do something special for you when I got back." Pippin answered, "I've never broken a promise to you."

"Oh, Pip, I don't want you to feel obligated to--" Merry started to say, but Pippin placed a finger lightly to his lips to silence him.

"Shhhh." Pippin whispered, placing a light kiss to Merry's lips, "I want to do this."

"Pip--" Merry gasped, just imagining the things he and Pip could do together.

"Don't you want it?" Pippin asked in a breathy, lust-filled voice, "Don't you want me?"

Merry felt light-headed as Pippin placed his light kisses along his jaw and up to his pointed ear.

"I love you." Pippin whispered, "I want to do this for you."

Merry moaned and nodded. Pippin trailed his kisses lower to Merry's throat, nipping and sucking on the warm skin. Merry tilted his head back and moaned, tightening his grip on Pippin's thigh. Pippin slipped his hands underneath Merry's white tunic, his fingers grazing along his soft skin. Slowly moving his hands higher, he brought the tunic up over Merry's head, exposing his toned torso. Pippin moaned and attacked the soft flesh of Merry's throat with his hot kisses. The feeling of Pippin's soft lips on his skin drove Merry insane. Merry gasped as Pippin nibbled on his collar bone.

"Oh, Pip.....go lower.....lower." Merry moaned.

Gladly, Pippin moved his kisses lower over Merry's firm chest. Merry thrust his chest forward, desire pulsing through him. Feeling Merry beginning to harden beneath him, Pippin moved lower to Merry's abdomen. Pippin slid his hand up Merry's thigh tantalizngly slowly until he found his destination, making Merry groan and throw his head back in ecstacy. Where Pippin touched him, his hardening flesh grew hot and damp. He drew in his breath sharply as Pippin gave a gentle squeeze and he thrust upward, longing for more. Pippin loved to hear these moans and sighs of pleasure coming from Merry as he deliciously tortured him.

"T-take them off, Pip." Merry said, taking Pippin's free hand and placing it at the hem of his loose white pants.

Pippin do so, but he went torturously slowly. Merry lifted his hips slightly so the offending garment could be removed and tossed to the floor. Now, Pippin had Merry right where he wanted him: naked, aroused, and completely powerless beneath him. Merry's well-endowed erection arched out proudly from his body, just begging to be touched. Pippin reached out and grasped Merry's member in his hand, Merry biting down on his lower lip to muffle a moan.

"Don't be shy, Mer. I want to hear you." Pippin whispered, slowly sliding his hand up.

Merry arched his back and groaned as Pippin swiped his thumb over the head, stroking him deliciously slowly. Merry let out a whimper of loss as Pippin's hand left his aching member. Pippin placed his hands on either of Merry's thighs and gave him a seductive look. Merry knew that look; Pippin gave him that look ever time he was about to--oh, God! Pippin lowered his head and slowly licked up Merry's member, right along the throbbing vein that ran along it. Merry cursed out loud and tried to thrust his hips upward, but Pippin held him down. Pippin slowly pushed the head into his mouth, massaging the sensitive nerves on the underside with his tongue. Merry let out a noise that was somewhere between a whimper and a moan, a sound of longing. Pippin wanted to hear Merry make that sound again, and he did as he pushed more of Merry's member into his mouth.

Merry groaned and arched his back as Pippin's warm, very talented mouth engulfed him. Oh, this was heaven! He loved it when Pippin did this for him, though he _never_ forced it upon Pippin to do anything he didn't want to. The only time the did any sort of sexual activity, it was out of their passion and love for one another and they only did it if both of them wanted to. Their sex life was very intimate and vivatious, but always healthy and passionate.

Pippin took the rest of Merry's member into his mouth and he could feel the head pressing against the back of his throat. This was the perfect time to exploit one of Merry's weak spots. Pippin swallowed, his throat muscles contracting around the head of Merry's erection. This caused Merry to groan loudly and arch his back, thrusting his hips upwards. Pippin began to move his head up and down, feeling Merry's member throb in his mouth. Occasionally, Pippin's teeth would lightly graze along the hot flesh, making Merry moan. Merry reached down and placed his hand on the back of Pippin's head, running his fingers through his curls. Pippin could already taste Merry faintly and he moved faster massaging Merry's throbbing member with his tongue.

Pippin slid up, letting Merry's member slip from between his lips. He blew a puff of cool air on the wet, sensitive flesh. Merry's body shuttered and he gripped the sheet beneath him, groaning in ecstacy.

"P-Pip.....please....." Merry moaned, pleasure pusling through his body.

Pippin smiled and leaned back down and engulfed Merry's member in his hot mouth, sucking hard and swallowing again. Merry whimpered as the muscles of Pippin's throat contrated around the head of his member. Pippin moved one hand from holding down Merry's hips to slowly sliding up the inside of his thigh. Merry gasped as he felt Pippin brush lightly at his opening. Pippin slowly pushed a finger inside Merry, causing him to moan loudly and squirm beneath him. Pippin moved the finger in and out, getting him used to the feeling before adding another. Merry hissed and moaned as Pippin gently stretched him. Pippin suddenly curled his fingers forward, hitting Merry's sweet spot. Merry whimpered and thrust his hips forward. As Pippin moved his mouth around Merry, he could taste him more and more by the minute; he knew he was close. He sucked harder and took more of Merry in. Merry was painfully-hard now and his member throbbed as he thrust upward into the soft depths of Pippin's mouth. Oh, he loved the feeling of Pippin's increadibly soft mouth engulfing him and moving in the most perfect way.

As Pippin bobbed his head faster, he heard Merry's sighs turn into groans and the shifting of his hips became jerky movements; he was so close to coming. Pippin decided to torture him once more. He leaned up, Merry's member sliding from his lips. Feeling this, Merry looked down at him with questioning eyes. Pippin blew another puff of cool air on the exposed flesh, causing Merry to groan and bite his bottom lip.

"P-Pip, please.....I-I'm going to.....c-come.....please, I want to come in your mouth." Merry moaned.

Pippin leaned down and licked up his member again slowly and he pushed the head into his mouth. He sucked gently on it and slowly pushed more of it into his mouth until Merry was completely engulfed. Merry couldn't stand it anymore. He cried out and came explosively deep in Pippin's mouth. Pippin choked a little as his mouth filled with Merry's hot seed, but he quickly recovered and swallowed everything Merry had to offer. He leaned up and let Merry's softening member slip from his lips. He wiped a bit of the white fluid from his chin and moved back up to straddle Merry's hips.

Merry got his frantic breathing under control and opened his eyes to see Pippin hovering over him. Pippin had a look of longing on his face and Merry could feel something very hard pressing against his thigh. He knew Pippin had been neglecting his own arousal as he pleasured him and he was in desparate need of release. Merry reached up and held Pippin's beautiful face in his hands and kissed him passionately. Pippin moaned and pressed himself hard against Merry. One of Merry's hands traveled down from Pippin's face to his painfully-hard erection. He grasped him gently, drawing a moan from Pippin. Pippin thrust forward into Merry's hand and kissed him deeply, thrusting his tongue into Merry's mouth. Merry could taste himself in Pippin's mouth and he kissed back with feverent passion, stroking Pippin harder and faster. Pippin came forcefully in Merry's hand with about twelve powerful strokes. He buried his face in Merry's shoulder to muffle his screams of passion. He collapsed on top of Merry, gasping wildly as if he'd just run a mile. Once Pippin gained an ounce of strength, he leaned up and looked into Merry's sapphire eyes.

"Oh, Merry, I love you."

**A/N: **Well, there it is: THE FINAL CHAPTER! WEEEEEEE! Oh, I've got the vapors! *fans self* **PLEASE R&R!** And thank you, MyNameIsDoodle for your great reviews and support! Thanks!


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